racetrack
Sonoma Raceway
A challenging road course set among the rolling hills of California wine country, hosting NASCAR and IndyCar events.
15 km · about 25 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesCalifornia
Sonoma
California, United States · North America
About Sonoma
Sonoma is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Temelec, 45km from Point Reyes National Seashore.
Sonoma is in California, United States, with about 11,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Temelec, about 4 km away.
Sonoma () is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Sonoma is one of the principal cities of California's Wine Country and the center of the Sonoma Valley AVA. Sonoma's population was 10,739 as of the 2020 census, while the Sonoma urban areaRead more
had a population of 31,479. Sonoma is a popular tourist destination, owing to its Californian wineries, noted events like the Sonoma International Film Festival, and its historic center.
Sonoma's origins date to 1823, when Padre José Altimira, Giovanni Toscano, and Giovanni Álvarez established Mission San Francisco Solano, under the direction of Governor Luis Antonio Argüello. Following the Mexican secularization of the missions, Californio statesman Mariano G. Vallejo founded Sonoma on the former mission's lands in 1835. Sonoma served as the base of General Vallejo's operations until the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846, when American filibusters overthrew the local Mexican government and declared the California Republic, ushering in the American Conquest of California.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Sonoma?
Within an hour or so of Sonoma: Sonoma Raceway (15 km), Napa Valley (16 km), Point Reyes National Seashore (45 km), Muir Woods National Monument (45 km).
Where is Sonoma?
Sonoma is in California, United States, about 4 km from Temelec.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 11,037
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- California
- Timezone
- America/Los_Angeles
- Coordinates
- 38.2919, -122.4580
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Sonoma
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Napa Valley
America's most celebrated wine region with over 400 wineries, Michelin-starred restaurants, hot-air balloon rides, and the scenic Silverado Trail.
16 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
Point Reyes National Seashore
A windswept peninsula north of San Francisco with dramatic sea cliffs, a historic lighthouse, elk herds, and pristine beaches.
45 km · about 50 min drive
national park
Muir Woods National Monument
An ancient old-growth coast redwood forest just north of San Francisco, offering peaceful trails beneath towering thousand-year-old trees.
45 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Alcatraz Island
Notorious former federal penitentiary on a rocky island in San Francisco Bay that once held America's most dangerous criminals.
52 km · about 60 min drive
bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Art Deco suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait in famous International Orange; drive, cycle, or walk it, with classic viewpoints at Battery Spencer and Fort Point.
53 km · about 60 min drive
museum
Exploratorium
A pioneering hands-on science museum on San Francisco's waterfront that inspired interactive museums worldwide.
55 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Coit Tower
Art Deco observation tower on Telegraph Hill offering 360-degree views of San Francisco, the bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge.
55 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Sonoma
- 53 kmGolden Gate BridgeThe Art Deco suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait in famous International Orange; drive, cycle, or walk it, with classic viewpoints at Battery Spencer and Fort Point.
- 80 kmTom Lantos Tunnels (Devil's Slide)Twin highway tunnels that bypass the notorious Devil's Slide cliffs on Highway 1 south of Pacifica; the old clifftop roadbed is now a spectacular coastal trail.
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